Sealing device for apparatus for artificial respiration



May 18, 1954 H. BRUNER ET AL 2,678,646

SEALING DEVICE FOR APPARATUS FOR ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 19, 1951 \NVENTORS HERmAI-i BRurIER,

May 18, 1 H. BRUNER ET AL 2,673,646

SEALING DEVICE FOR APPARATUS FOR ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 19, 1951 INVENTORS. Hem/m BRUNER HEINRICH Rm FLE/scH AND YHERmm/rv m-1E Wit/j Patented May 18, 1954 SEALING DEVICE FOR APPARATUSFOR ARTIFICIAL RESPIBATION Hermann Briiner and Heinrich Rindfleisch,Gottingen, and Hermann Tietze, Lubeck, Lachswehr, Germany, assignors toOtto Heinrich Drager, Lubeck, Germany Application March 19, 1951, SerialNo. 216,418

Claims priority, application Germany November 22, 1948 6 Claims.

chamber against positive and negative pressure since in the chamberpressure alternations are produced by an air pump. To obtain a reliableseal, the sealing device must be adjusted rather tightly which has adisadvantage of strong pressure on the blood vessels of the neck(carotis sinus) leading to undesired changes in blood pressure, or evensymptoms of strangulation.

It is the object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages ofthe known sealing devices 7 by sealing the respiration chamber along theline leading from the chest and the collar bones to the nape of the neckof the patient by two annular sealing portions which seal therespiration chamber against higher pressure inside, and out-. side therespiration chamber, respectively. The advantage of a seal along thatline is, that no blood vessels or nerves are influenced in any way sincethe seal presses against a bone structure. Any undesired irritation ofthe large blood vessels of the neck is thereby avoided.

A further advantage of the present invention is that head and neck ofthe patient are freely movable.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the seal is effected by aV-shaped sealing ring made of a thin and flexible material such asrubber, one portion of which is facingoutwards, while the other portionis facing the inside of the respiration chamber. The outer sealingportion mainly seals against higher outside pressure While the innersealing portion mainly seals against higher inner pressure. The V-shapedsealing ring is attached to an annular supporting member which issecured to the front wall of the apparatus. Preferably an annularcushion is provided between the sealing ring and the supporting member.

The ring-shaped sealing device can also be secured to a vest whichassures a constantly right position of the seal.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an isometric cross-sectional view showing the line along whichthe seal is in contact with the body of the patient;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

Fig. 4. is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In Fig. l the head 2 of the patient protrudes through an opening in thefront wall I of the respiration chamber. The annular sealing meansaccording to the present invention include a sealing ring a which is incontact with the body of the patient along a line extendingsubstantially from the chest along the collar bones, over the shouldersand to the nape of the neck of the patient. The annular sealing meansaccording to the present invention, also include an annular supportingmember 5 which has an outer annular edge 6 air-tightly secured to theannular edge I which bounds the opening in the front wall I. In theembodiment shown in Figs. 1 and i, the annular supporting member 5 issubstantially conical and is secured to the sealing ring 4 by means of aseam 9. Between the rubber ring 4 and the annular supporting member 5,an annular sponge rubber cushion member i0 is provided. The sealing ring4. and the cushion memher in are depressed by the seam 9 so that in theannular sealing face 3 of the sealing ring 4, an annular depressed faceportion is formed which is bounded by annular sealing face portions 4a,4b, extending along the annular edges of the sealing ring.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the seal is effected by aV-shaped sealing ring having annular portions 12, preferably consistingof thin rubber. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the sealing ringportions I2 are securedto a conical supporting member 13, while in theembodiment shown in Fig. 2, the annular supporting member I4 isS-shaped.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofsealing devices differing from the types described above.

While we have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in anannular sealing means for an apparatus for artifical respiration,

3 we do not intend to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made Without departing inany way from the spirit of our invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofour invention that others can by applying current knowledge readilyadapt it for various applications without omitting features that, fromthe standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristicsof the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore,such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for artificial respiration in combination, a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;a sealing ring being located rearwardly with respect to said front walland in the interior of the apparatus, said sealing ring having a firstannular portion extending outwardly and forwardly and a second annularportion extending rearwardly and inwardly with respect to said frontwall of the apparatus, said annular portions being shaped so as to fitto the body of a patient along parallel sealing lines extending alongthe chest, the collar bones, the shoulders, and the nape of the neck;and an annular supporting member consisting of a flexible material andhaving an outer annular edge air-tightly secured to said annular edge ofsaid front wall, and an inner annular edge air-tightly secured to saidsealing ring.

2. In an apparatus for artificial respiration, in combination, a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;a sealing ring having two annular parallel spaced sealing edges adaptedto fit on the body of a patient along a sealing line extending along thechest, the collar bones, the shoulders, and the nape of the neck; and anannular supporting member having an S-shaped cross section andconsisting of a flexible material and having an outer annular edgeair-tightly secured to said annular edge of said front wall, and aninner annular edge air-tightly secured to said sealing ring,

3. In an apparatus for artificial respiration, in combination, a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;a sealing ring having a V-shaped cross section and being locatedrearwardly with respect to said front wall and in the interior of theapparatus; an annular supporting member consisting of a flexiblematerial and having an outer annular edge air-tightly secured to saidannular edge of said front wall, and an inner annular edge secured tosaid sealing ring, an annular cushion member consisting of a softresilient material and located intermediate said sealing ring and saidannular supporting member and a seam located centrally on the surface ofsaid sealing ring fastening said sealing ring and said cushion member tosaid annular supporting member in such a manner as to compress saidcushion member in the center thereby elastically deforming said surfaceof said sealing ring so as to render the same V-shaped in order to forman airtight seal along the edges of said sealing member.

4. In an apparatus for artificial respiration, in combination a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;and annular sealing means secured to said annular edge and having anannular sealing face, said amiular sealing face having an annulardepressed portion bounded by outer and inner annular spaced sealing faceportions along opposite edges of said annular depressed portion, saidouter sealing face portion being adapted to seal mainly against outergas pressure which is greater than the inner gas pressure in theapparatus, and said inner sealing face portion being adapted to sealmainly against inner gas pressure which is greater than the gas pressureoutside the apparatus.

5. In an apparatus for artificial respiration, in combination a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;and annular sealing means secured to said annular edge and including asealing ring having an annular sealing face, said annular sealing facehaving an annular depressed portion bounded by outer and inner annularspaced sealing face portions along opposite edges of said annulardepressed portion, said outer sealing face portion being adapted to sealmainly against outer gas pressure which is greater than the inner gaspressure in the apparatus, and said inner sealing face portion beingadapted to seal mainly against inner gas pressure which is greater thanthe gas pressure outside the apparatus.

6. In an apparatus for artificial respiration, in combination, a rigidfront wall of the apparatus having an annular edge defining an opening;and annular sealing means secured to said annular edge and including asealing ring consisting of a soft resilient material and having anannular sealing face, said annular sealing face having an annulardepressed portion bounded by outer and inner annular spaced sealing faceportions along opposite edges of said annular depressed portion, saidouter sealing face portion being adapted to seal mainly against outergas pressure which is greater than the inner gas pressure in theapparatus, and said inner sealing face portion being adapted to sealmainly against inner gas pressure which is greater than the gas pressureoutside the apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,241,444 Bower May 13, 1941 2,506,865 Forrey May 9, 19502,521,679 Ackerman Sept. 12, 1950

